Israel Will Soon Welcome Vaccinated Travelers

International visitors will reportedly be allowed into the country as soon as May 23.

Israel covid-19 rules
Shutterstock/JekLi
Shutterstock/JekLi
Editor's Note: We know COVID-19 is continuing to impact your travel plans. As of April 2021, official guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention states that fully vaccinated people can travel domestically at low risk, though safety precautions are still required. Should you need to travel, be sure to familiarize yourself with the CDC's latest guidance as well as local requirements/protocols/restrictions for both your destination and home city upon your return. Be safe out there.

If you've been thinking of a trip to Tel Aviv while daydreaming about what you'll do when travel opens up, the next steps are becoming clear. Israel will join the ranks of nations opening up to a limited number of vaccinated travelers. It will be the first time in more than a year that Israel has welcomed foreign travelers. 

The country will begin admitting groups of vaccinated tourists from other countries on May 23, according to a report in Haaretz. Only groups will be allowed with a cap on the number of people allowed daily. Vaccinated travelers will need to take a coronavirus test within 72 hours of landing, then another once they've landed.

More tourists, including individual travelers, will be allowed in the future if infection rates do not rise as restrictions are lifted. The Points Guy reports that more details, including the number of people allowed in, will be detailed in "the coming days."

"After a long, forced break, we are delighted to take the first step in opening our borders to international visitors," Sharon Bershadsky, director of the Israel Tourist Office UK, said, per Lonely Planet. "From the beautiful coast of Tel Aviv, the rich history of Jerusalem, the wonder of the Dead Sea, the ample outdoor travel opportunities and the superb culinary scene, there are numerous reasons for travel wishers to visit our country. We look forward to welcoming all visitors to Israel as soon as it is safe to do so.”

Israeli joins a small but growing group of countries that are taking similar steps, allowing travelers who are fully vaccinated to visit. That list includes Croatia, Ecuador, and Iceland. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stopped short of recommending that people begin traveling again at this point, but it has said that fully vaccinated individuals can travel safely inside the United States

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Dustin Nelson is a Senior Staff Writer at Thrillist. Follow Dustin Nelson on Twitter.